The role of gene conversion in determining sequence variation and divergence in the Est-5 gene family in Drosophila pseudoobscura.
Nucleotide sequences of eight Est-5A and Est-5C genes corresponding to previously sequenced Est-5B genes in Drosophila pseudoobscura were determined to compare patterns of polymorphism and divergence among members of this small gene family. The three esterase genes were also sequenced from D. persimilis and D. miranda for interspecific comparisons. The data provide evidence that gene conversion between loci contributes to polymorphism and to the homogenization of the Est5 genes. For Est-5B, which encodes one of the most highly polymorphic proteins in Drosophila, 12% of the segregating amino acid variants appear to have been introduced via gene conversion from other members of the gene family. Interlocus gene conversion can also explain high sequence similarity, especially at synonymous sites, between Est-5B and Est-5A. Tests of neutrality using interspecific comparisons show that levels of polymorphism conform to neutral expectations at each Est-5 locus. However, McDonald-Kreitman tests based on intraspecific gene comparisons indicate that positive selection on amino acids has accompanied Est-5 gene duplication and divergence in D. pseudoobscura.
King
L M
LM
Department of Biology, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida 33124, USA.
D000483:Alleles; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001483:Base Sequence; D004330:Drosophila / Q000235:genetics*; D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004950:Esterases / Q000235:genetics*; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005785:Gene Conversion; D017344:Genes, Insect / Q000235:genetics*; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D010802:Phylogeny; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D016415:Sequence Alignment; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D012689:Sequence Homology, Nucleic Acid
D029721:Drosophila Proteins; D004950:Esterases; C111074:EST5C protein, Drosophila pseudoobscura